Asian businesses are being urged to view a CD Rom in a new campaign against underage sales launched by Lancashire Trading Standards.

The Age Check training packag has been introduced by Trading Standards in response to figures showing shopkeepers in the North West suffer the highest rate of attacks in the UK.

The CD Rom will be coming through your letterbox soon.

Asian businesses were closely consulted when producing the training aid, which can be viewed in a choice of languages including Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati and Hindi.

The CD Rom contains coaching on how to say no to minors who try to buy age restricted goods such as alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks and how to defuse or avoid volatile situations.

David Johnnie, Principal officer responsible for age related sales, said: "Asian businesses told us they had particular difficulties refusing underagesales.

"Cultural factors and language differences play a big part in this as many Asian businesses employ family members who don't have English as a first language.

"By using this CD-Rom all members of staff can be trained in their preferred language about the laws surrounding underage sales, how to avoid violent situations and the potential consequences of making an illegal sale."

Nearly a third of Lancashire retailers who have been test purchased for alcohol this year failed to check the age of the purchaser.

In many instances this has resulted in prosecutions and the issuing of fixed penalty notices by the police after an underage sale has taken place.

The CD Rom features interactive menus and a quiz about the laws for selling age-restricted goods as well as a 20 minute video.

David Johnnie added: "I strongly urge all who receive their free copy to ensure that they adhere to the advice it contains and regularly show it to staff members.

"By doing so they will avoid underage sales and the prospect of ending up in court for a sale to a child."